


we can turn the world to gold

by darlingwendy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Librarian Ennoshita, M/M, Mutual Pining, Science Teacher Tanaka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingwendy/pseuds/darlingwendy
Summary: “Oi, Chikara.”Ennoshita’s pulse rushed in his ears. He hated this: the rushing of blood to his cheeks, the electricity licking up his spine, the jackrabbit pace of his heart. It felt soinvoluntary,soinstinctual,so Pavlovian. But he couldn’t help it. Tanaka called his name, and he came alive.
Relationships: Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke
Comments: 18
Kudos: 45





	we can turn the world to gold

**Author's Note:**

> this is incredibly self-indulgent!! i hope you enjoy. (you don't have to have read any of "no need to keep an open eye," but this exists in that universe.) happy valentine's day! title from "run away with me" by carly rae jepsen.

“Oi, Chikara.”

Ennoshita’s pulse rushed in his ears. He hated this: the rushing of blood to his cheeks, the electricity licking up his spine, the jackrabbit pace of his heart. It felt so _involuntary,_ so _instinctual,_ so Pavlovian. But he couldn’t help it. Tanaka called his name, and he came alive. 

It was dramatic to think of it that way, he knew. But he was, unfortunately, a stereotypical lovesick librarian, as much as he hated to admit it. He’d read the classics. He’d spent most of his life happy to be alone, content with the idea of passion existing within stories and not in real life. And then the school hired a new science teacher, who turned out to be passion incarnate.

And also crushingly straight.

Usually, when he brought this point up, Yamaguchi would scoff.

 _You don’t know that,_ the art teacher would say.

 _I do,_ Ennoshita would reply.

 _You’ve never asked him,_ Yamaguchi would argue.

_I don’t have to._

They’d had the conversation so many times they performed it silently now, exchanged with glances instead of words. Ennoshita was so sure, self-righteous, almost, in his certainty. He'd resigned himself to the truth of the matter: his crush was hopeless.

But he’d seen the way Tsukishima looked at his co-worker, and Yamaguchi had been so confident in his dismissal. Ennoshita had been stunned. He knew he was right -- he was, after all, an expert in the field of yearning with a glance -- yet Yamaguchi, for whatever reason, couldn’t see it. If his assumptions about Tsukishima were correct, was it possible, then, that he was wrong about...

“Chikara!”

He blinked, the sound of snapping fingers centimeters away from his face jolting him out of his thoughts. Tanaka’s face was drawn into a pout, but when Ennoshita glanced up, meeting his eyes, he broke into a grin, like Ennoshita’s eye contact was the gift he’d been waiting for. It made Ennoshita’s heart spasm and his gut drop. It used to make him feel so pathetic, pining after someone who would never be able to return his feelings. Tanaka was this enthusiastic about everything in his life. It was what made him an incredible teacher, a good friend. The kids were _constantly_ chattering about him, he was easy to talk to, he lit up every room he walked into. When he turned that megawatt smile onto Ennoshita, Chikara’s body wanted to believe that it was special. But it wasn’t. That was how Tanaka was with everyone.

Unless…

_You’ve never asked him._

“What are you doing this weekend?” Ennoshita blurted. Tanaka blinked, eyebrows furrowing for a moment, before he burst into a laugh.

“That’s what I’m here to talk to you about,” he said, the smile never leaving his face. “I need a favor.” 

Ennoshita blinked. That wasn’t the response he’d been expecting.

“What is it?” Ennoshita asked, slowly becoming wary. He liked Tanaka, spent far too many moments sneaking glances out of the corners of his eye, resisted many urges to smile. But he wasn’t so totally gone as to miss all of the mischief the science teacher caused. He and Nishinoya were infamous for their viral science experiments, and the rumors that both teachers could be relied upon to help with senior pranks had never been confirmed _nor_ denied. Favors were risky.

“I’m chaperoning that field trip this weekend with Takeda-sensei, but his husband just came down with a really nasty flu. We’re only gonna be gone for two days, but I know he’s just gonna worry the whole time, so I was hoping you could cover for him.”

“You want me...to chaperone the field trip with you?”

Tanaka’s grin was a well-aimed weapon.

“Yeah, Chikara, I want you to chaperone the field trip with me. It’s a win-win. Takeda-sensei gets to stay home, I get to look like a really good guy because I offer to let him stay, and you’re actually a good guy because you’re helping us both out.” He paused, leaning in slightly. 

“Could be fun.” His voice held something Chikara had never really heard before. It sank right into the pit of his stomach, molten and warm. Ennoshita swallowed.

“Sure,” he said, keeping his tone as flat as he could. “Could be fun.”

**Author's Note:**

> i just love ennotana i can't help it their dynamic is so good 2 me. maybe i'll write more of this if folks are interested!! what did you think?? let me know!! thank you for reading!!


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